vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote? if not, the ayes are 56, the nays are 42. upon reconsideration, the motion is agreed to. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: cornelia t.l. pillard of the district of columbia to be united states circuit judge for the district of columbia circuit. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: mr. president, as if in legislative session, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of s. 1797, which

was submitted earlier today. that the bill be read three times and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: is there objection? the senator from north dakota. mr. hoeven: mr. president, i want to reserve the right to object. i'm certainly willing to let the good senator make comments. but at this point i want to reserve the right to object. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. hoeven: object. yes, i object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. reed: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: first of all, i -- i think it's appropriate to make some comments and i appreciate certainly the senator from north dakota being here and making the point. but we are at a juncture that within two weeks, 1.3 million americans will lose their

federal unemployment compensation insurance. it will be a shock to them economically and particularly i think since it will be just a few days after the christmas holidays. and my legislation is very simple. i'm seeking to extend for an additional year the unemployment compensation program that has been in place for several years and that will allow 1.3 million americans to have some support as they face a very difficult economy. now, we've asked as democrats that this proposal be a part of the budget negotiations. our colleagues in the house of representatives have made the same request. it appears that that will not be the case so that we have to seek a stand-alone legislative vehicle and that's why i proposed the legislation as i've done today. what we are effectively doing and what we have to do within two weeks so it doesn't allow us the time, the procedural process of the committee deliberation

and -- and markups, et cetera, what we have to do is try to avoid a huge economic shock to 1.3 million americans immediately. there will be more after that. but as of december 31 or january 1, if you are on unemployment benefits, federal benefits, extended benefits, you lose them. in my state, that's 4,900 people celebrating new year's day by losing their federal unemployment insurance benefits. and families who are struggling to just keep their heads above water in a very difficult economy, who have seen their jobs disappear, who have, after years of dedicated work, find themselves now looking at very difficult circumstances for employment, in my home state particularly but not my home state alone. so we are -- have to act and that's why we're here this evening to ask for immediate consideration, not further and

further review but immediate consideration. i think it's important to point out that the average weekly benefit is about $300 per week. this is not a program that people are using to enrich themselves, by any means. this is basically keeping the heat on, keeping some food on the table, maybe keeping the rent paid. this is a program also that people only qualify for after working and establishing a work history. so for all these reasons, we're not talking about some lavish benefit that's a windfall to americans. this is something that's going to keep families together. and that's why i think we have to be willing, beginning this evening, to get this program extended through next year, at least. there's another aspect of this, too. unemployment insurance is one of the best countercyclical economic programs that we have

with federal fiscal policy. the nonpartisan congressional budget office estimates that with the expiration of unemployment benefits, it we don't act, it will cost our economy next year 200,000 jobs. it will cost us jobs if we don't act. and it will slow economic growth by about .2%, is their estimate. so not only is this sensible, in fact, the decent thing to do for millions of families, it's the smart thing to do for our economy. because if we don't do it, we're literally seeing under very rational estimates 200,000 jobs disappear. and what's the one thing everybody claims we need to do in this country right now? put more people back to work. now, this extension has been scored at about 200 -- excuse me, at $26 billion for the year. traditionally, we have treated

unemployment insurance as an emergency expenditure and we haven't offset it. that tradition has been abandoned recently and we've had to come up with offsets. but there are offsets. there are tax loops. there are provisions that encourage companies to move jobs overseas that we can close and pay for this. there are other provisions that would stop subsidizing significant multimillion-dollar corporate benefits so that american families could have a chance. so we can do this if we have to but we've got to do it. now, these loopholes that we've talked about and many of my colleagues talked about, they should be closed anyway, but if it helps pay for unemployment insurance, well, that's -- that's not only good, that's something that would be a very positive step forward.

we need not only for the individual family but for the overall economy to extend these benefits and we have to start immediately. we're running out of time. we have just two weeks. and nothing's more important than getting people back to work and, as i said, if we don't do this, we're going to see 200,000 jobs that are going to be foregone in the next year. so this is about jobs as well as about keeping families together. and keeping them able to provide for their basic needs. it's pro-growth, it's smart, and i hope we can come together and do it. and i hope, again, that -- i appreciate certainly the senator from north dakota's objection, but i hope we can find a way to not object but to move forward together. the benefits cut across party lines. if you look at the states that are suffering the most -- and as we all know, the unemployment compensation program is a tiered

program. it depends upon the level of unemployment in your state. but if you look at the states that are suffering the most -- and unfortunately i'm going to have to say rhode island is one of them -- nevada has the highest unemployment rate, 9.3%. we're right behind them, 9.2%. it has been five long years of unemployment. it's come down from above 10% but it's still much, much too high. but this is not a regional phenomenon. illinois, 8.9% unemployment. mississippi, 8.5% unemployment. kentucky, 8.4% unemployment. north carolina, 8% unemployment. georgia, 8.1% unemployment. arizona, 8.2% unemployment. these are tough numbers and it's not concentrated in one place, at cross this entire country. this is not a -- a reddish you're or a blue issue -- this is not a -- a red issue or a blue issue. this is an american issue for

workers who have worked and now can't find jobs and need support. and there's something else i think that's important to mention. and that is we've seen some progress on the work front. the last report showed that we actually grew last month 203,000 jobs. that's the good news. the bad news is, despite this improvement, long-term unemployment remains high. more than 4 million workers, 37% of those who are unemployed, were jobless for 27 weeks or longer in november. so what we're seeing is some short-term movement but the longer-term unemployed, the ones who qualify for the federal benefits, they're still finding it virtually -- well, very difficult, if not impossible, to find work. and that's exactly what this federal program is designed to assist, those long-term unemployed that are in an environment, in a state where the economy is not working as well as some other states. there are some states that are doing exceptionally well and

i -- i'm glad for them. but there are many, as i indicated before, who are experiencing unacceptably high unemployment rates. this program started to take shape in its most recent incarnation in june of 2008 when president george w. bush signed the program into law, the extension of unemployment benefits for this cycle over these several years. when he did it, the unemployment rate was 5.6% and the average duration of unemployment was 17.1 weeks. so we're looking now at a situation that nationally and in many states, it is much higher than when we initiated the program back in 2008. now is not the time to stop. and in order to get this done, we have to move expeditiously. there is not time for elaborate hearings. there is not time for conferences with the house. the house is proposing to leave

this friday. we have to move immediately. today our national unemployment rate is 7%. the duration of unemployment is 37.2 weeks. that's 7% compared to 5.6% and 37 weeks compared to 17 weeks. we still need this program to help the families of this nation. we can't end it now. we have to move forward particularly in the holiday season. the reality and let me finally make the point is that people will be looking at a new year coming with the reality that what little benefit they're getting because they can't find a job, average $300 a week is going. that's a tough reality to look at your family on new year's day and understand that you don't have those resources. we have to act. i hope we can. and with that, mr. president, i would yield the floor to my

colleague. the presiding officer: the senator from north dakota. mr. johanns: i objected earlier. i wanted to express my appreciation to the good senator from rhode island. i understand his concerns. mr. hoeven: i want to take just a minute to explain the objection that we have. i don't think anyone in the chamber that is -- that there's anyone in this chamber indifferent to the plight of the long-term unemployed. however this legislation falls under the jurisdiction of the senate finance committee and as of yet the committee has not had the opportunity to consider it. and there are a number of concerns that members on our side of the aisle have with the legislation most notably the price tag. according to the c.b.o. a full one-year extension of the emergency unemployment compensation program would cost $25 billion for a single year. that's the cost of this bill and

the bill contains no offsets to cover that cost. so the senate finance committee needs to have an opportunity to consider this legislation, to find a way to pay for it. in addition the committee needs to have an opportunity to consider alternatives rather than simply providing additional benefits to the unemployed, hopefully coming up with something that really helps them get back to work. republicans are willing to consider such ideas and need to have an opportunity to do so through the committee process. and it's on that basis that i object to my colleague's unanimous consent request. and, again, i thank you for the time and the courtesy of my colleague. mr. reed: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: i certainly respect my colleague from north dakota, his principled position. i think we can agree on one thing. we have to start moving very

quickly because this reality is dawning very rapidly on 1.3 million americans. i hope we can move together. the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. ms. landrieu: thank you, mr. president. i do hope that we can resolve the issue between -- that my colleagues were just raising. not it's an important one for the country. we're very blessed, however, in louisiana to have a relatively low unemployment rate because our economy is doing so well in large measure because of the extraordinary new technologies which i think you understand as well in indiana, being used to discover oil and gas and particularly natural gas in places and in ways we never thought possible. and it's creating a real resurgence of manufacturing in our state that's wefting -- benefiting not only us and our neighbors along the gulf coast but it's benefiting states all over america.

and the economic numbers despite the great challenges we have here in the congress on our budget, on paying down our debt, on reducing our annual deficit, on procedural measures, how to run this senate and work more effectively on behalf of the people of all of our states, there's some really good news in north dakota, in south dakota, texas, louisiana, and other states that are experiencing really very low numbers of unemployment because the jobs are plentiful. what our challenge is just to comment briefly, what our comment -- challenge is is actually training the work force that we're going to need to fill all the jobs that we have. and these are very good-paying jobs. some starting at $40,000 or $60,000 a year, construction, welders, going up to $125,000, some of them are temporary but many of them will be permanent.

so i hope we can resolve this unemployment issue. however, in states like the senator from rhode island, unfortunately, he and about 20 other states have very high unemployment. i think in some states it might still be over 9%. and they're chronically unemployed just because of the competition of globalization and other things, so i think we have to try to find a way to work together as a nation, we're blessed to have relatively low unemployment but we have a big job skills training gap that we're working on in our state. but i wanted to rise today to actually talk for just a few minutes about a very important bill that the house just passed by an extraordinarily -- extraordinary vote of 346-1. and my colleague, senator -- my colleague, congressman buoys

annie in the house was -- buy stane was the lead sponsor in the house. it's something he and i have worked across party lines, he's a republican, i'm a democrat but we've worked very closely together to try to, a, get this entire bill passed not only for the benefit of louisiana which is shaded here as one of the states that will benefit, but you can see how many other states between 2013 and 2017 will be affected positively by the passage of this bill. the bill is the veterans' affairs medical facility lease authorization act, that's a mouthful but it does -- takes an important action. it basically uses the guidance of the office of management and budget, a letter that we received from them at my request and formulated into a piece of legislation that will allow the

veterans administration to build clinics the way they have been building clinics for our veterans who need the highest and best quality care, using a lease arrangement. the reason that we had to pass this bill and i'm going to be working with senator vitter and many others to ask unanimous consent at the proper time for this bill to pass through our senate over here, is because about six years ago, there was an administrative ruling that basically stopped the ability of the veterans department to be able to build these very needed veterans clinics by using a lease. internally the administration decided to score it differently and that threw lots of sand in the gears and those gears have been stuck for six years. and in our state, veterans in

lafayette and in lake charles have been waiting and waiting and waiting. now we had some added complications -- complications which the veterans administration has taken the blame for, the bid process used initially for our clinic, one of our clinics was defect thive and they had to throw it out but at the end of the sad story is that a great bill passed the house of representatives just literally a few hours ago, and i wanted to come to the floor to say how proud i am of congressman bustany and his dogged pursuit of justice. because his district is in this part of the state where these two clinics will be built in lafayette and lake charles so i have worked closely with him as has senator vitter to make sure that we brought some clarity and focus to this to move forward.

but as the bill moved through to help us with our problem, it also is going to help many, many states that are scheduled for -- for veterans' clinics. i want to also thank congressman miller from florida who is the chair of the v.a. committee. he worked very closely with congressman bustany and i want to thank bernie sanders, our senator from vermont, who chairs our committee here and senator sanders, whose desk this is, actually, has been very, very supportive of this effort, and while we -- i'm not going to ask unanimous consent at this moment, he and i have had a discussion earlier today about how strongly he supports this effort and how much he wants to help us get this done. there are 27 clinics in 22 states, this process or nightmare i should say began in

louisiana about six years ago. four years ago, the ruling was made, by our legislation that was passed in the house will override that basically and set us on a course that's both fiscally responsible and so important to our veterans to honor the promises we made to them for clinics to be close where they can access them, they're not driving hundreds of miles for regular care, and we can be very smart, i think, mr. president, in the way we design these leases so it will be a benefit to the taxpayer, a benefit to the veterans, and will really meet our obligation to them. so, again, the bill just passed the house, i will be asking unanimous consent along with senator vitter tomorrow to move this bill, get it to the president's desk, get it signed so that the veterans that have been waiting particularly in our state for so long will have even something extra to celebrate this very special christmas

holiday. so i thank the president, i yield the floor, suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: .

the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: mr. president, a couple years ago i surprised everyone, but i didn't surprise myself when i selected the chair of the super committee patty murray. patty at the time was chairman of the veterans' affairs committee. she was a member of the budget committee, and i thought she would do a remarkably good job, because i have such faith in her integrity, her temperament, her wisdom, and her ability to get

things done. and the country should be so pleased with the work that she was able to do on a bipartisan basis with paul ryan it's kind of an unconventional pair. they worked together to come up with a budget they can work on for two years. we have numbers now. i'm very pleased the budget negotiators murray and ryan have come up with an agreement today that will roll back the painful and arbitrary cuts of sequester and prevent another costly government shutdown. i again commend budget committee chairman patty murray for making this agreement possible. but it's also fair to -- and i hope this doesn't get him in trouble in the house -- to say that chairman ryan also worked hard on this. it was a compromise. we didn't get what we wanted. they didn't get what they

wanted. but that's what legislation is all about, working together. compromise is not a bad word. we believed all along that congress should set sound fiscal policy through the regular order of the budget process and not through hostage taking or crisis making. we'll have a lot more to say about this in the days to come, but this is a good day for our country. i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed now to a period of morning business with senators allowed to speak for up to ten minutes aoefplt. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent we proceed to h.r. 2922. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 2922, an act to extend the authority of the supreme court police to protect court officials away from the supreme court grounds. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and there be no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection.

mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to h.r. 2871. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 2871, an act to amend title 28 united states code and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, any statements relating to this matter appear in the record as if given. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to s. res. 315. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 315 to authorize production of records by the committee on homeland security and governmental affairs. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without

objection. mr. reid: s. 1797 introduced earlier by senator reed i'm told is at the desk due for first reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the first time. the clerk: s. 1797 a bill to provide for the extension of certain unemployment benefits and for other purposes. mr. reid: i didn't make it clear, mr. president. this is reed of rhode island that did this. i now ask for a second reading but object to my own request. the presiding officer: objection having been heard, the bill will receive its second reading on the next legislative day. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, december 11, that following the prayer and the pledged morning hour deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the leaders be reserved for use later in the day. following leader remarks the senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the executive calendar number 233, the nomination of cornelia

pillard to be united states district judge for the district of columbia postcloture. further the time during adjournment count postcloture. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: upon the use or yielding back of postcloture time the senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the pilllard nomination. if all time is used the vote will occur on 1:00 a.m. thursday morning december 12. senators will be notified when the vote is scheduled. if there is no further business to come before the senate i ask it adjourn under the previous order. the presiding officer: the the presiding officer: the

with two republicans voting in favor. the senate hack on wednesday and is always watch coverage of the senate right here on c-span2. >> it's a rare constant in american political life if you look at say congress in 1901, less than 2% of members came

from working-class backgrounds. got into politics and eventually wound up in congress. flash forward to the present day the average number of congress spent less than 2% of their career doing service industry jobs and so this is one thing that really hasn't changed you know, lots of different aspects of the political prospect of. broadcast television cable news the rising candidates centered elections and while all of this is happening there is one of the constants during the last 100 years or so is that working-class people are not getting elected to political office.

[applause] former secretary of state hillary clinton received a human rights awards saturday from the lantos foundation founded by the late congressman tom lantos who was a holocaust survivor. during her remarks hillary hunton paid tribute to nelson mandela who passed away thursday at the age of 95. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very very much. thank you. [applause]

thank you and first two the extraordinary lantos family this is indeed a great honor and an immense personal pleasure to have tom lantos around my neck. [laughter] he was often in my office or on the phone asking me what i was going to do about something or offering to partner with me on an issue of human rights, and as all of you who are here no because you recognize the significance of the work that he did during his public career. he was a man of great courage and compassion and he had a wonderful partner in his wife

annette and a fabulous support system with his daughters katrina and annette and their families. so i think we should give a round of applause to the entire lantos family here today. [applause] as was said when he began the proceedings, we meet on the day after the loss of a giant among us, someone who by the power of his example demonstrated unequivocally how each of us can choose how we will respond to those injustices and reagan sayd tragedies that afflict all of humankind.

nelson mandela will be remembered for many things. he will be certainly remembered for the way he led, his dignity, his extraordinary understanding not just of how to bring democracy and freedom to his beloved south africa, but how important it was that he first brought freedom to himself. as i spent time with him starting in 1992, until just in the last year and a half, i was always struck by the extraordinary depth of his self-knowledge, of his awareness about how hard it is to live a

life of integrity, of service, but to combine within oneself the contradictions he lived witm fighter, a prisoner and a leadef forgiveness has so captured the hearts of people not only in his own country but as we are seeing at the outpouring of response to his death, people around the world. i only hope that as we both mourn and celebrate the passing of this universally recognized and beloved figure, that we remember he became that through an enormous amount of hard work

on himself. the story has been told several times now in the coverage that i have watched in his passing about how he invited three of his prison guards to his inaugural festivities. i was there as a part of the american delegation for the inauguration and i was there at the luncheon that was held back on the grounds of the presidents house that transitioned from the morning where i had racked this with the president with where i had lunch with president mandela. as he looked out at the large -- crowd gathered filled with dignitaries from everywhere including people who had been part of the struggle itself against apartheid and you have supported that struggle, he made

a point of thanking his jailers and pointing out that of all of the distinguished vip's who were there he was most grateful that these men with whom he had exchanged words of recognition and acknowledgment of the other's humanity over the course of that long imprisonment could be there as well. as we think about nelson mandela it brings to mind very much to meet tom lantos because here were two men who had seen the worst that humanity can offer. who had been objectified, denied

their right to be in hungary during the holocaust or a black man in south africa during apartheid. they had every reason to come out if not embittered, cynical, believing that for the rest of their lives the only thing that would matter was acquiring powee their influence, especially as against those who had denied them the right to be who they were. what always struck me about nelson mandela and tom lantos was the joy, the curiosity, enthusiasm for life that they

brought with them out of the dust of such suffering. ..

facing the kind of fear that comes with standing up for you're and your fellow men and women. so we honor two great men by being here today. two men with unconquerable souls. and we also have just acknowledged other brave human rights activists who have received this prize and who stand before us. because each of them has also known what it is like to come up against governments and powerful sources who are determined to squeeze the hope from your heart. to imprison your mind. to break your spirit.

he stood up to that kind of oppression. escaped from it as tom escaped from the holocaust, and ran toward freedom. and i'm very proud that the united states is the place he ran toward. that of it our country, thanks to people like tom and others who i see in the this audience who have held high the matter of human rights. and paul -- thank you. because you have stood your ground. the horror of genocide in your time. you saved and protected others.

a great example not only of courage but compassion. as we gather here, we are reminded of those who have given so much to ensure that the hope is represented in tom's legacy lives on. this foundation really embodyies tom's spirit. and it's quite humbling for people like madeline albright, my dear friend and i to know that secretaries of state come and go, but what remains is that

profound commitment to making a difference. whatever position we find ourselves, and standing up and speaking out for those who might in other words not have a voice. i'm deeply hoon norred to be given this award. particularly on two causes near and dear to my heart. women's rights and internet freedom. i want to acknowledge publicly the great work that tom, the state department continues to do in the intersection of civil society and governments. and how we can help people help themselves to make sure their voices continue to be heard. i also think it's critical that we look broadly globally about

why this mission that many of us embrace for the full participation of women and girls this their society is so important. it's not just the right thing to do, it is not just a recognition that women and girls just like men and boys deserve the opportunity to live up to their own god-given potential. it is because we know that women and girl participate in economies, economic growth is greater than would be without them. where women and girls are given the chance to be educate and to get the health care they deserve to have. we know that societies benefit. where women and girls can participate in peacemaking and peacebuilding as full members of societies trying to resolve

conflicts. we know that resolution is more likely to be sustained. so it's a great honor for me to have this award, but it just is a reminder of how much more we have yet ahead of us to accomplish. to sure that tom's dream, tom's life, the examples of the award e recipient with us and those unable to come like the dalai lama bring out in each of us our own commitments to what we will do to further the cause of human rights universal human rights for every man, woman, boy and girl in the world. it is certainly what tom would expect us to do.

to hold high his ideal. bicepping this award and knowing tom wouldn't let me off the hook otherwise. it's something i will continue to be committed to in every way that i can with every fiber of my being. because the kind of world we want is a tbhorld which the nelson mandelas and the tom lantoss can be proud. thank you very much. [applause] [applause]

coming up tonight in about 20 minute we'll bring you highlights from today's memorial service in johannesburg. with remarks from president obama and other world leaders. that's tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern. again right here on c-span2. programs for next year. in it language strengthening for victims of military assault. it also keeps open grant moe bay. we spoke with a capitol hill reporter this afternoon for more on the bill. the defense program bill what is in the new version? >> well, the bill contains

several of the sexual assault provisions in bother haves of the house version and the senate verdict of the bill. it also contains a comprise on detainees as well as new authorizations for several weapons systems and military pay raise. >> what prompted this comprise? >> well, the bill -- the senate was unable to pass the bill last month and it stalled there. in order to get the bill done before the end of the collar year the leader of the two committee met and hammered out the differences and the bill that had been before the senate and the house-passed bill to come up with the comprise version of the measure that they hope can get through both chambers before they adjourn for the year. >> you mentioned sexual assault in the military. what are some of the other controversial amendments part of the original senate sphwhil. >> sure. actually one of the issues that

did not make the bill is probably one of the more big e highlight. that's senator jill brand's amendment nap would have taken the decision for prosecuting those crimes out of the chain of command. she had gotten support for more than half the senate but never got a vote on her amendment. she still was 60 votes -- she was a few votes shy of the 60 she would have needed to get it through the senate. >> what about iran sanctions? >> there is nothing in the bill on iran sanctions. part of the reason why the bill stalled in the senate last month because republicans wanted to introduce several amendments including at least one on iran sanctions. the white house has not wanted debated right now. so this comprise measure does not have anything on that. >> republican senator tom coburn of oklahoma has been vocal about his opposition to the new comprise version. what are his concerns? are those echoed by other

lawmakers? >> sure. he's definitely not alone. they are angry there's not been many amendments debate order the bill in the senate. the bill that typically can table take two to three weeks of senate floor time. and it's stalled this year over concerns about the stunted amendment debate. senator coburn has eight amendments he would like to see included in the bill or at least debated, and many other lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have amendments they got scuffled. there seems to be concerns az cro the republican party that, you know, this is setting a bad precedent for the bill and a path they don't want to go down. >> what happened if congress is not able to pass the defense program's bill before leaving for the holiday rei excess -- recess. >> our. -- it doesn't expire at the end of year. several authority do expire by

december 31st. most of those involve special pay including combat pay for members of the military as well as some bonuses. those could be made retroactive which is a point that lindsay graham hinted at today and, you know, they can come back, debate the senate bill, and then do a traditional conference between a senate-passed bill and how-passed bill and pass a final conference report in january. however, there's concerns senator levin is concerned that pushing the bill in to january will mean it will never get done. it will get lost in next year's agenda. >> we've heard members on both the house and the senate and both sides of the aisle talk about the defense program bill has been enacted annually for measure half a century. it's one of the few bills the only authorization bill that has

gotten passed every year for that period of time. it gives the senate and house armed services committee a tremendous amount of power -- a power that others would dial have. it's the pay raises they make it a vehicle that most lay makers want to see go through every year. it's consider a must-pass piece of legislation. >> a deafen on national security reporter for roll call. thank you. >> thank you. the u.s. senate wrapped up work just 7:00 eastern tonight earlier in the day senator approving two of president obama's nominees.

congresswomanning up tonight in about 20 minute we'll bring you highlight from the memorial service in johannesburg for former south africa president. with remarks from president obama and other world leaders. that is to be the at 8:00 p.m. here on c-span2. >> it is a rare constant in american political life if you look at, you know, say congress in 1901 less than 2% of members came from working class backgrounds. got out of politics and eventually wound up in congress. a flash bard to the present day. they spent less than 2% of their

career doing manual jobs. and so this is one thing that really has hasn't changed, you know, lot of different aspect of the political facet have changed. broadcast television, cable news, big money in politics, decline of unions. while all of the is happening, there is -- you know, one of the constants during that last 100 years or so working class people are not getting elected to political office. >> does it matter there's a socioeconomic disparity between most elected officials and the citizen they represent? nicholas look at the "white collar government." sunday night at 9:00 on after ward. in january in-depth.

if you can imagine 1976. the hustle and bustle of the activity during the campaign. you letters coming in and out of the area. it was basically a way to get out the board out about jimmy carter.

watch our program on first lady rosslyn carter. see it saturday on c-span at 7:00 p.m. eastern. and monday start our encore presentation of first lady season two. edith roosevelt. 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. the federal reserve unanimously approved the vocal rule named after former fed chairman. in the meeting tuesday. the rule part of the 2010ed to frank act bansbacks from making investment from their own profit. a practice seen as contributor to the 2008 financial crisis. the fdic moved to approve the rule. to finalize the rule and the proposal to extend it. period, i too want to join in congratulating the staff for completing the work on this

rulemaking. it's obviously -- for very difficult judgment. i strongly support the goal of the rule which is to eliminate short term financial speculation and institutions that enjoy the protection, the safety net, too ebb gauge in market making. obviously worked very thoughtfully to strike in this role just the right balance, and i congratulate you for doing that. give the absence of -- distinctions. i think supervisor go forward an important responsibility to make sure that this rule but i support. thank you.

thank you. >> thank you, mr. chairman. nor the reasons i noted in my introductory statement. i, too, support adoption final rule. but my -- the vice chair and you indicated implementation more than i think in those is probably going to be -- as i noted earlier, although we have a role to play there, we're sort of a third place role. but one i think nonetheless are are supervisors are going have navigate pretty carefully. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i've attempted to set a high bar for us in our context of rulemaking. it's proposed rule in order to

qualify for the activity in addition position must reduce or otherwise significantly mitigate, identifiable specific risk identified at the inception of the hedging trade and reduce added or newly developed risk. in other words, they cannot add significant new risk to the position. there is an antistation requirement requirement for the person at the top. the ceo required to make appropriate about whether the design of the compliance program reasonably lead the statutory requirements prohibiting proprietary training. these changes are commendable and help make the rule work better. there are two remaining challenges. if i see them and the ability to overcome these challenges may not be known until we begin to implement the rule. these challenges must be monitored carefully as the rule

begins the operation. the first challenge is -- [inaudible] just underscores. it has been mentioned and that is regulatory implementation. the proposed final rule has taken the approach of nonnot setting explicit limit but setting the limit through the compliance plans. and monitoring those compliance plans. this emphasis on compliance within limit rather than absolute threshold mean that the rule of supervisors and examers and in particular the rule of supervisorrer and examer judgment in discretion become critical. examers from different agencies will be leaned on heavily. for example, there have been no limits placed on the type of asset or trade strategy that qualify for permitted activity in market making hedging underwriting. even though the rule contains a statutory prohibition on engaging any permitted activity

and cases is expose the bank to high-risk assets or trading strategy and propose final rule does not make clear what asset or type of asset institute such high-risk asset. instead examers will be asked to make the determinations. so i look forward to the formulation of guide for the fifth all examers from all the agencies in the efforts. and communicates those views to the effective financial institutions so they understand what could be problematic. similarly, the proposed final rule permit trailing for purposes liquidity management fop ensure it's not propry -- we're going have to require examers to assure among other things that liquidity management has been conducted in accordance with written liquidity management plan and the

amendments being held are consistent with the near-term funding needs of the financial entity. again, these will be determinations made by examers. and i believe they will -- when they undertake the determinations. in addition, the restrictions on inventory accumulation under the market making and underwriting permitted activity will be determined by the regular constitutions. and examers, again, will need to verify where they are appropriate. examers will need to be willing to limit inventory buildup if the total risk accumulated under market making and underwriting -- either on an constitutional level or within the entire system. this willingness will require consistency, fortitude, and support. compiled in the role of single examer judgment is the fact that institutions within the per view of the volcker rule are examined differently.

the fcc may bring one perspective to a super vision and broker deals and they may bring a different perspective to the supervision of national bank. regarding the exercise of supervisor i are judgment and we want to assess the effectivenesses of the agencies in engaging in interagency coordination of the approaches and their perspectives and findings. the second challenge with regard to compensation provision of the proposed final rule. in the proposed final rule as you indicated it nearly state that the structure can't be designed to award or incentivize prohibited trading. the statement in the rule may in fact alleviate concerns that the design of compensation practices and financial institutions that engage in trading is a source of financial instability. but we can't be sure until we

see. in other words, it seems to me if we are serious about minimizing financial instability in the context of the volcker rule. we have to engage in some scrutiny of the design of compensation plans and ask yourself whether the various d -- by inducing traders and others to accept assessive leaflet of risk. [inaudible] because bank risk taking imposes costs on the public and the economy that shareholders don't always internalize shareholder interest may be served by greater risk taking than in the interest of the public and the economy. this has been well known moral hazard and compensation regulations justified by the same hazard reasons that underlying the -- substantiative regulation of the terms of compensation, in other

words, specifically limiting the use of structures that reward risky behavior to advance the goal of the volcker rule. as the volcker rule becomes implemented they should focus specifically on the structure with the aim of discouraging excessive risk taking. if we had a focus we could supplement and reinforce the rule. if we knew the compensation -- we would direct need not be astringent as in other otherwise be necessary. conversely, as long as compensation arrangement are -- it would need to be restrictive. we need to stay vigilant to the possibility that the compensation arrangement that particular institutions will not be conducive. possibly to the minimizing of the potential for financial instability. with those remarks, mr. chairman, i support the publication of the final rule and the proposed -- proposal to extend the

conformation period. as noted it made great strides. my recommendation is move toward from implementing it. both from the need to assist examer implementation and coordination and enforcement of the rule and from the need to assays how the term of -- thwarting the rules goals. >> thank you. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i support the final rule. i support the one-year extension. i want to thank everybody for their hard work. the comment made about the change that is still lie ahead and the supervision and implementation. i think rule will be helpful. i think it's important to align expectations i completely agree with the way mark characterized it. i don't think we should expect it's going -- against any kind of trading expo

market making other otherwise is -- force them in to disdons. never the less, i think the rule puts in place a systemic process that forces looking at trade or hedges or whatever to ask the right kinds of questions. i think that's going to be helpful. i think it's going to be -- improve the odds of getting rid of at least some of these problem. i'm supportive. >> as i mentioned earlier, i think the rule is very faithful to the statute. i think it strikes the right balance as indicated by the statute permitting activities that need to continue. i'm happy to support it and support the extension. ..

today's memorial service for the late nelson mandela. in two hours president obama's nominee to lead the internal revenue service testifies on capitol hill. and then the work being done to secure a long-term security agreement in afghanistan before the end of the year. >> this is a train depot in plains, georgia, and in 1976,

all the activities on the campaign, tables and desks and phones going off and letters coming in and out of the area, and miss rosa lynn was running the campaign from this building. >> this is where she organized the peanut brigade. it was an offshoot of the hi, neighbor, technique used during his run for governor. basically a way to get the word out about jimmy carter using volunteers going door to door, give ought literature spreading the word. a method so effective it helped him get elected to the presidency. >> watch our program on first lady rosa -- rosalyn carter. >> thousands of south africans who attended today's memorial

service for the late nelson mandela were joined by nearly 100 world leaders, including president obama. this portion of the south african broadcasting corporation's coverage is two hours. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. thank you. [applause] >> to the mandela family, to

president zumba and members of the government, to heads of state, and governments, past and present, distinguished guests. it is a singular honor to be with you today. to celebrate a life like no other. for the people of south africa, -- [cheering] >> people of every race and every walk of life, the world thanks you for sharing nelson mandela with us. his struggles were your strugglers, his triumph was your triumph. your dignity and your hope found

expression in his life, and your freedom, your democracy, is his cherished legacy. it is hard to eulogize any man, who capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential spirit of a person, their private joy, and sorrow, the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone. how much harder to do so with a giant of history. who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process, moved billions around the world. born during world war i, far from the corridors of power, a

boy raised herding cattle, madiba was the last great libator of the 20th century. like gandhi, he will lead a resiststance movement, a movement that at it start had little prospect of success. like dr. king, he would give voice to the claims of the opressed, and the moral necessity of racial justice. he would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of kennedy and khrushchev. and reached the final days of the cold war, emerging from prison without the force of arms, he was, like abraham lincoln, hold his country together when it threatened to break apart. and like america's founding

fathers, he would bring constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations, a commitment to democracy. and rule of law. not only by his election but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term. given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, it's tempting to remember nelson mandela as an icon. smiling. but ma -- madiba resisted the portrait.

instead, madiba insisted on sharing with us his doubts and his fears. his miscalculations long with his victories. i am not a saint, he said, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying. it was precisely because he would admit imperfects, full of humor and mischief, despite the heavy burden he carried, that we loved him most. he was not a bust made of marble. he was man of fresh and blood. a son and a husband. a father and a friend. and that's why we learned so much from him and why we can learn from him still.

nothing he achieved cass inevitable. in the arc of his life we see man who earned his police in history through struggles and persistence and sureness and faith. he tells us what is possible, not just in the pages of history books, but in our own lives as well. mandela showed us the power of action, of taking risks on behalf of our ideas. perhaps mandela was right he inherited a stubborn sense of fairness from his father, and we know he shared with millions of black and colored south africans the arrows of strikes and

unremembered moments, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people, he said. but like other early giants, -- [cheering] -- madiba disciplined his anger, and channeled his desire to fight in organizations and platforms, and strategies for action. for men and women to stand up for their god-given dignity. moreover, he accepted the consequences of his action, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carried the fight. i have fought against who it domination and fought against black domination.

i've cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society and which all persons live together in harmony and equal opportunity. it is an ideal which i hope to live for and achieve, but if need be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. [cheering] >> mandela taught us the power of action, and also taught us the power of ideas. the importance of reason and argument, the need to study not only those who you agree with but also those who you don't agree with. ideas cannot be contained by prison walls, or extinguished by a sniper's bullet. he turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and passion,

but also because of his training as an advocate. he used decades in prison to sharpen is argument and spread his thirst for knowledge to others in the movement. and the learned the language and the customs of hills opressers, so one day he might better convey to them how they're own freedom depends upon him. [cheering] mandela demonstrated that action, and ideas, are not enough. no matter how right they must also be chiseled into law and institutions. he was practical. testing his beliefs against the hard surface of circumstance and history. on core principles he was unyielding, which is why he could rebuff officers of

unconditional release, reminding the officials that prisoners could not enter in contracts. but as he showed the transfer of power and grasp of the law, he was not afraid to compromise for the sake of a larger goal. and because he was not only a leader of a movement but a skillful politician, the constitution that emerged was worthy of this multi racial democracy. true to his vision of laws that protect minority as well as majority rights, and the precious freedom of every south african. and finally, mandela -- the ties that bind the human spirit. there's a world in south africa. [cheering]

a word that captures mandela's greatest gift. his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye. that there's a oneness to humanity. that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us. we can never know how much of this sense was innate in him or how much was shaped in a dark and solitary cell. but we remember the chapters, large and small, introducing his jailers as honored guests at his inauguration, taking a pitch in a uniform, turning his family's heartbreak to confront h.i.v. h.i.v./a.i.d.s. that reveals the

depth of his understanding. he taught millions to find that truth within themselves. it took a man like madiba to free, not just the prisoners but the jailer as well. to show you must trust others so they may trust you, to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a path but a means of confronting it with inclusion and generosity and truth. he changed laws but he also changed hearts. for the people of south africa, for those he inspired around the globe, madiba's passing is a time of mourning and a time to

celebrate a heroic life. but i believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection, with honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask, how well have i applied his lessons in my own life? it's a question i ask myself. as a man, and as a president. we know that, like south africa, the united states had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation, as was true here, it took sacrifice, the sacrifice of countless people, known and unknown, to see the dawn of a new day. michelle and i are beneficiaries of that struggle. [cheering]

but in america, and in south africa, and in countries all around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cover the fact that our work is not yet done. the struggles that follow the victory of formal equality, for universal franchise may not be as filled with drama and moral clarity as those that came before, but they are no less important. for around the world today, we still see children suffering from hunger and disease. we still see rundown schools. we still see young people with prospects for the future. around the world today, men and women are still in prison for their political beliefs and are still persecuted for what they look like and how they worship and who they love. that is happening today. [cheering]

and so we, too, must act on behalf of justice. we too must act on behalf of peace. there are too many people who happily embrace madiba's legacy of racial conciliation but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge poverty and growing inequality. too many leaders claim solidarity with madiba's struggles for freedom but do not tolerate the same from their own people. and there are too many of us, too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable and complacent, with cynicism, when our voices must be heard. the questions we face today, how

to promote equality and justice, how to uphold freedom and human rights, how to end a conflict and sectarian war, these thing does not have easy answers. but there were we can choose a world defined by our common hopes and choose a world not defined by conflict but by peace and justice and opportunity. we will never see the likes of

nelson mandela again. but let me say to the young people of africa, and the young people around the world, you, too, can make his life worth yours. over 30 years ago, while still a student, i learned of nelson mandela, and the struggles taking place in this beautiful land, and it stirred something in me. it woke me up to my responsibility. to others and to myself, and it set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today. and while i will always fall short of madiba's example, he makes me want to be a better man. [cheering] he speaks to what is best inside

of us. after this great liberator is laid to rest, and when we have return to our cities and villages, and we join our daily routine, let us search for his place. let us search for his largeness of spirit. somewhere inside of ourselves. and when the night grows dark, when injustice weighs heavy on our hearts, when our best laid plans seem beyond our reach, let us think of madiba, and the words that brought him comfort within the four walls of his cell. that man is not how straight the gate, how charge the punishment, i am the master of my fate.

i am the captain of my soul. what a magnificent soul it was. we will miss him deeply. may god bless the memory of nelson mandela. may god bless the people of south africa. [cheering] [cheering] >> we'd like to thank president barack obama for his comforting words. we now move on with our program, and acknowledge the presence of a number of other world leaders,

who have graced our land, to come and pay tribute to nelson mandela. his excellency, president serva of portugal is here. his excellency, mr. frederick rhinefeld, his excellency, the president of the democratic run of the congo, president joseph kabila, is here. his excellency, -- is here, the

prime minister of the bahamas is here. the president of israel, president simone perez is head of the delegation from prime minister benjamin netanyahu is here. the prime minister of the -- is here. his excellency, the president botswana is here. the honorable prime minister and prime minister of -- the vice honorable prime minister john okay of new zealand is here. the prime minister of canada is

here. his excellency the president of the united states, mr. barack obama is here. the president, his excellency, prime minister of denmark is here. his excellency, the first president of mauritania, mr. mohammad aziz is also here. his excellency, the president of -- his excellency, the president of the european council is here. the president of the republic of croatia, his excellency, the

president of nigeria is here. the honorable prime minister, david cameron, of the united kingdom, of great britain, is also here. his excellency -- is here. president of uruguay is here. his excellency, the president of -- is here, and of course the president of brazil is here. and it is at this point that i'd like to call upon president of

brazil, all the way from latin america, to come and address us. president maruso. [inaudible conversations] nelson mandela, president zuma,

[inaudible] >> nelson mandela, president jacob zuma and the people of south africa to whom i would like to convey my condolences for the invaluable loss of nelson mandela. >> translator: ladies and gentlemen, heads of states and of government. dear friends. [speaking in foreign language] >> translator: i bring you here today the feelings of deep sorrow of the brazilian government and the people of brazil, and i'm sure of all south america, for the passing away of this great leader, nelson mandela.

[speaking in foreign language] >> translator: the most outstanding personality of the 20th century, nelson mandela, led with passion and intelligence, one of the most processes of human emancipation in modern history, the end of apartheid in south africa. [speaking in foreign language]

>> translator: mandela's fight became a paradigm, a model not only for this continent but for all those who fight for justice, freedom, and equality. [speaking in foreign language] >> translator: apartheid defeated by mandela and the south africa people was the most most ebrat and cruel form of social and political inequality of modern times. [speaking in foreign language] >> translator: the great leader

had his eye